UAW 2865 Resolution in support of CTU

Whereas, members of UAW 2865, like members of the CTU, fight for high-quality public education in the face of rising class sizes, increased workload, and dwindling public resources, and

Whereas, high quality higher public education relies upon a high quality K-12 public education system, and

Whereas, despite the rhetoric of shared sacrifice, we note that our administrators and public officials find money for their own raises and capital expansion, while designing cutbacks that will hurt our students both at the K-12 and the university level, and

Whereas all students deserve the right to a quality public education in their neighborhood school, and

Whereas all students deserve smaller class sizes to receive adequate attention from teachers, and

Whereas all students deserve access to a broad and diverse curriculum that includes art, world languages, computer literacy, and physical education, and

Whereas all students deserve support including fully-staffed libraries in all schools, access to social workers, school nurses, therapists and psychologists, and

Whereas teachers deserve to be adequately compensated for their work, and

Whereas the revenue necessary to fund a quality public education can be substantially realized by reallocating resources that go to mostly non-union Charter schools and the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts, both of which currently siphon revenue from public schools, and

Whereas teachers deserve protection against arbitrary dismissal and a fair recall procedure so that the talents and expertise of experienced teachers can be put to the best use serving the students of Chicago, and

Whereas the Chicago Board of Education, among other concessions, is demanding “merit pay” for teachers based on student test scores, despite a consensus among researchers that such scores to not reliably measure a teacher’s ability, and

Whereas the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is standing up for the children of Chicago and for all public employees and unions in this time of budget cutting and union busting, and

Be it resolved that the UC Student Workers Union, Local 2865 of UAW supports the Chicago Teachers Union in its fight to negotiate a contract that addresses all of these issues with the Chicago Board of Education.

Be further resolved that Local 2865 urges its local central labor council to adopt a similar resolution.

Be it further resolved that Local 2865 endorses, participates in, and organizes local solidarity events in support of the CTU, including petition drives, in recognition of what CTU stands for to be deeply linked to its own goals for a quality and equitable public education.

Be it further resolved that Local 2865 communicates such support to CTU members and to the Chicago Board of Education and Mayor Rahm Emanuel.